Vaporizing type oil burner



Feb. 20, 1951 J. THoMsoN 2,542,729

` vAPoRIzING TYPE 011. BURNER Filed June 26, 1948 ILL' Jaffa/'Wigwam'Patented Feb. 20, 1951 UNI-TEDv STATES QllilCll'lv 2,542,729y vPoRIz'INGTYPE ein BURNER John Thomson, oakland, Calif. applicati-canne 26, 194:8;seria: No; 35;:{09

'i' Claims (CL. 15S-81)? This invention relates to improvements inoilburnerunits.

An object of the present invention is the provision of a unit forburning oilmore efficiently than the knownl devices'for' this purpose,and without the formation of carbon.

A` further object is theprovision of an oil burner unit in Which theo-iil and air suppiy thereto are preheated. l

A further object is the provision of an oil burner unit'. in which theair is directedv on to the surface of the oil in order tol form acomparatively large Volume of carbon monoxide at' this point in ordertoobtain increasedefiiciency fromV the hydrogen content of the oil bykeeping the' formation of water to a minimum. y

A. still further object is the provs'ioriof an oil burner unit in whichaV pilot light' may be burned withoutl the formation' off-carbon;

A further object is the provisionV of a device of the nature describedin which automatic electric ignition may be employed without danger oftheelectrode being burned by excessive heat;

With the aboveV and further objects. in view,A the present inventionconsists essentially of oil burner unit comprising-V an openetopped'corn-y bustion chamber having perforated side Walls` diverging towardsthe top thereofr meansfor sun` plying air to the chamber through theperforattions o its side walls, a sump at the bottom of the chamber, andmeans: for supplying oilto: the

This device consists of an. open-topped coin-V bustion chamber tuhaving'side walls Il each of which is formed With a plurality ofperiorations. I3. The sections I5 of these side walls converge to apoint [6- spaced above the bottom (1 of the combustion chamber, andthesections ldiverge from said point towards the top of'thechamber. Theperforations in the sections tifare directed towards the bottom f T,whereas the' perforations ofthe sections I8 ale.V directed inwardly'and'fup'f wardly in relation to the combustion chamber. The chamber isclosed by end walls Zllwhcb; may be vertical or they may divergetowardsthe' top of the chamber, as shown. The angleof the 2 sections' i5' mayrange approximately from 45 degrees to`60 degrees; While that of theysections t8 may' beanglular for 45 degrees to 80 degreesV from thehorizontal; Y

A rsump- 2'5 is mounted at the bottom of the chamber I0 centrallythereof. This sump preff erably projects?intoy the chamber above thebot--y torn IT, andis'forrned" with oneormre openings 2tV in its wallabove or in' line with saidv bottom; If' desired, a Iplurality `ofopenings 21' y'may' be' drilled' in thewallof the sump and directeddownwardly towardsthefsump' bottom.V Walls 28 ex? tentialorrgTv oppositesidesofl the sump projecting intofthe combustion chamber; It is highlydesir-V able to fornrawell= 29` atjthe bottom ofjthe sump, said wellvIncing` ofA smaller crossasectional area than thesump itselff Abipe30'is provided for directing oilrrorn'a suitable; isource of supply, not

shown; to vthe sump and" itslweil' immediately beheath the bottonr of'thev combustion chamber. It' is preferable-'tofhave this pipe extendalong the bottom for some distance before reaching the sump.` The'oiilevel in the'sump is controlled by the usualy equipment for thispurpose, and as this need not befdescribed herein. y

Suitable means.vr is provided for directing air through. theperforations I3' ofthe side walls Il intoj tl-1ev combustion chamber. Aclosed air box.v

351 is-provided vfor this purpose. The .combustion chamber ismountedj,inthis box ,and opens out-r wardly through the top thereof, said chamberbeing ,spacedv from therwalls 36 and the bottom 3T'of the-box; Forconvenience vof manufacture', the side Walls4 Il" of the 'chamber maybeformed with' Iianges k35 at the top thereofadapted to overlap" the top'-4U of thev box, to which they are secured any suitable, manner.. v

AAir issupplied'under'low pressure to'. thebox 35; from which it passesthrough, the perforations |v3`intol"theicombustion chaniber.y Arelatively laitierpipe` jextends longitudinally of the box.A 35'bel'o`w"the bottom'thereofg The end46 of this.

pipe is. closed, while` itsV opposite end il is connected to a small.blower unit, not. shown, which. isoperateri' in the usual manner; Averticalbaffie 48 extends longitudinally ofthe. pipe, and conduits SEI'vare located Yalong each side of the pipe and extend upwardly' throughthe bottomr'linto the box 35 on each side of the. combustionchamberfnearthe bottom" thereonv TheseV conduits extend substantially throughout thelength of the chamber'a'ndi communicatewiththe interior of the interiorof the' air box at 52'. A sloping baffie 53 is located between the end52 of each conduit and the section I8 of the adjacent wall II, said baiebeing substantially parallel with and spaced from said wall. Forconvenience of manufacture, the baffles 53 may be formed integrally withthe bottom Il of the combustion chamber. In this case, the side walls IIand the end walls 20 of the chamber are formed separately from thebottom thereof, and the bottom is secured to the lower edges of saidwalls in any suitable manner,- such as by welding. f

In order to start this burner, a small amount of oil is directed intothe bottom of the sump through the pipe 3E). This is ignited and whenthe surrounding parts are heated, the oil is then turned on. It ispreferable to turn the oil on gradually. The oil lls the sump and runsout through the openings 26 on to the bottom I'I of the combustionchamber, where it is converted` into vapour which burns in said chamber.The cross-sectional area of the combustion chamber gradually increasestowards its top in order to accommodate the increasing volume of gasesas they rise from the bottom to the top of the chamber. These gases mixwithuair entering the chamber through theperforations I3 and burn withavery hot flame. As the perforations in the sections I of the side wallsare directed downwardly, 'the air passing therethrough is drected on tothe surface of the .oil on the bottom of the chamber. This unites oxygenand carbon at the ignition point of the oil at comparatively lowtemperatures, resulting in the formation of a comparatively large amountof carbon monoxide at said point, thereby increasing the efciency of"the'device, Large amounts of carbon monoxide at the primary combustionpoint result in increased eciency from the hydrogen content of the oilas the formation of water is kept to a minimum due to immediate highertemperature when the secondary air is introduced through the sections I8 of the side walls.

The air passes along the pipe 45 and the com duits 50, from which it isdirected intoV the air box 35 along the opposite sides of the combustionchamber. The baffles 53 ensure a fair distribution of the air throughthe perforations I3. The air box and perforated walls of the combustionchambers permit maximum air input at low pressures, thus keeping airtemperatures down. Furthermore, the air is preheated in the box beforeentering thefcombustion chamber.

According to this invention, the oil is supplied to the bottom of thesump. A pilot light may be provided in the customary manner, that is,when the oil is shut olf, a small amount is allowed to trickle Athroughthe feed pipe in order to keep a small llame'V burning. In this case,the flame is in the sump at the'b'ottom thereof, and a limited amount ofair is supplied thereto through the openings 271.- The sump wallprotects the llame from excess air and it retains suicient heat Ito keepthe pilot light burning with carbon-free flame.

Automatic ignition is'shown in Figure 4. An igniting rod 50 of anywell-known automatic system projects in to .the sump. When oil is turnedup for high heat,t his rod is immersed in oil pref venting it from beingburned out,

I claim:

1. An oil burner unit comprising a closed air box, a combustion chamberhaving side walls mounted in the box and vopening Aoutwardly through thetop thereof, said walls converging to a horizontal plane spacedabovethebottom of the chamber and diverging from said 'plane towards thechamber top, and said chamber being spaced from the walls of the box,conduits extending through the box on each side of the combustionchamber, said conduits communicating at one of their ends with theinterior of the box, means for supplying air to the conduits, a slopingbaille between the end of each conduit and the adjacent divergingsection of the combustion chamber side wall, each of said baiiies beingsubstantially parallel with and spaced from the adjacent wall, a sump atthe bottom of the chamber, and means for supplying oil to the sump.

2. An oil burner unit comprising a closed air box, a combustion chamberhaving side walls mounted in the box and opening outwardly through thetop thereof, said walls converging to a horizontal plane spaced abovethe bottom of the chamber and dii/erging from said plane towards thechamber top, and said chamber being spaced vfrom the walls of the box,conduits extending upwardly through the bottom of the box on each sideof the combustion chamber near the bottom thereof, said conduitsextending substantally throughout the length of the chamber andcommunicating at their upper ends with the interior of the box, an airsupply pipe extending between the conduits, said conduits communicatingat their lower ends with the interior of the pipe, a vertical bailleextending longitudinally of the pipe, a sump at the bottom of thechamber, and means for supplying oil to the sump. y

. 3. An oil burner unit comprising a closed air box, a combustionchamber having side walls mounted in the box and opening outwardlythrough the top thereof, said walls converging to a horizontal planespaced above the bottom of the chamber and diverging from said planetowards the chamber top, and said chamber being spacedffrom the walls ofthe box, conduits extending within the box on each side of thecombustion chamber near the bottom thereof, a sump at the bottom of thechamber, and having a part at the sides thereof extending above thechamber bottom, said part having a plurality of openings directeddownwardly towards the sump @bottom, and means for supplying oil to thebottom of the sump.

4. In an oil burner, a housing provided with a burner throat in theupper portion and having opposing elongated side walls and opposing endWalls defining with a substantially flat bottoni wall a combinedvaporization land combustion chamber, said sidewalls having lowersections extending upwardly from said bottom in convergent relation andupper sections extending upwardly from said lower sections toward saidthroat in angular relationrto said lower sections, an oil sump openingdirectly into the space dened by said lower wall sections and spacedmediately of said sections and of said end walls, said lower sectionshaving air inlet openings to direct streams of air to and immediatelyover said sump,v and said upper sections having air inlet openingsdirecting air inwardly and upwardly into the space between said uppersections and into said throat.

5. An oil burner in accordance with claim 4,

'characterized by said sump having a member extending into the spacebetween the lower sections and having. air Ainlet openings extendingtherethrough. Y

6..An oil burner in accordance with .claim 4,

characterizedby the lower sections having a lesser depth than said uppersections.

7. In an oil burner, a housing provided with a burner throat in theupper portion and having opposing elongated side walls and opposing endwalls dening with a substantially flat bottom wall a combinedvaporization and combustion chamber, said side walls having lowers'ections extending upwardly from said bottom in convergent relation andupper sections extending upwardly from said lower sections toward saidthroat in angular relation to said lower sections, means adapted todirect oil adjacent said bottom wall and into the space defined by saidlowerwall sections and mediately of said sections andV of said endwalls, said lower sections having air inlet openings to direct streamsof air to and immediately over said means, and said uppersections havingair inlet openings directing air inwardly and upwardly into the spacebetween said upper sections and into said throat.

JOHN THOMSON.

6 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PA'IENTS Number Name Date 720,889 Calkins Feb. 17, 1903938,428 Moore Oct. 26, 1909 1,910,615 Laney YMay 23, 1933 2,042,785 fHolmes June 2', 1936 2,091,487 Peoples Aug. 31, 1937 2,104,592 JungersJan. 4, 1938 2,162,084 Hoffman June 13, 1939 2,225,467 Breese Dec. 17,1940 2,346,817 Breese et al Apr. 17, 1944 2,248,760 Stamm May 16, 19442,391,585 Miller Dec. 25, 1945 2,393,176 Livar et al Jan. 15, 19462,432,143 De Lancey Dec.v 9, 1947

